vivdunstan: (tarot)
2025-04-17 09:01 pm
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A quick look at The Phantomwise Tarot deck by Erin Morgenstern

I'm going to be using this for self reading properly soon, but was just having a look through it, seeing the style, and also assessing the package as a whole. I bought this deck some years ago, after I discovered it existed. Erin Morgenstern designed this Tarot deck at the same time she was writing The Night Circus book.

The theme is Victorian / gothic / whimsical / magical, though based firmly on the Rider-Waite-Smith standard ideas and designs. The art is painted in black and white acrylic, with many greys. There are often animals on the cards, especially cats and dogs. Numbered cards have full designs. The overall feel will be familiar to readers of The Night Circus.

The card stock is very thick, possibly overly so, making shuffling the cards in the hand harder than it might be. The deck comes in a well designed and practical box, complete with a guidebook. The guidebook includes many interesting ideas for spreads, as well as guides to the meanings of the individual cards.

A nice package, and I'm looking forward to trying this deck out properly for readings.

P.S. I had looked at this deck briefly a year ago, but am now more familiar with Tarot card meanings, and in a better position to use the cards properly.

vivdunstan: Part of own photo taken in local university botanic gardens. Tree trunks rise atmospherically, throwing shadows from the sun on the ground. (Default)
2025-03-18 04:08 pm

Fellowship of the Ring trick-taking card game

Had fun at my first go playing the Fellowship of the Ring trick-taking card game in solo mode. It's about 40 years since I've played a trick-taking card game ... Didn't score well enough to pass the opening chapter of the game, but happy getting more fluent with the cards. Great for a Tolkien/LOTR/card game fan.

One big relief with the card game try was my neurological illness hands were cooperating today! And my new folding table was big enough - just! - to accommodate the cards. Also very pleased with my William Morris designed tablecloth, which provided a good surface to play on, and a sturdy weight too.

A grid layout of colourful cards with Lord of the Rings characters and themes (e.g. forest, meadow, mountain, hill, ring, shadow) on them. On top of the cards sits the slim rulebook leaflet for the game. The cards and rulebook rest on a Wiliam Morris designed tablecloth.

The game box of "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Trick-Taking Game" designed by Bryan Bornmueller. The box is slim, with a dark design, ornate font for the lettering, and a bright gold One Ring prominent. The game box rests on a William Morris tablecloth with gold birds and leaves against a black background.
vivdunstan: Part of own photo taken in local university botanic gardens. Tree trunks rise atmospherically, throwing shadows from the sun on the ground. (Default)
2025-02-13 10:22 pm

New tablecloth

Got my new tablecloth - a William Morris design, thick cotton, newly hemmed to the required size, including overhang - and looking forward to using it soon with my new small folding table for gaming on. Here's what the design looks like.